UPDATE 1-Britain to extradite radical Islamist cleric to U.S.

October 05, 2012|Reuters

By Stephen Eisenhammer

LONDON, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Britain said it would seek toextradite Islamist cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri to the UnitedStates as soon as possible after the one-eyed radical preacherfailed in a last-ditch legal attempt to avoid deportation onFriday.

Washington accuses the Egyptian-born 54-year-old ofsupporting al Qaeda, aiding a kidnapping in Yemen and plottingto open a U.S. training camp for militants.

Abu Hamza, who has a metal hook for a hand, also achievednotoriety for praising the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the UnitedStates.

Judges at the High Court in London dismissed his request todelay the proceedings in order to allow him undergo more medicaltests that his lawyers said would prove he was unfit to beextradited, clearing the way for an immediate handover.

"Extradition may proceed immediately," said Judge JohnThomas. Four other suspects have also lost their appeals againstextradition to the U.S.

Britain's Home Office (interior ministry) said in astatement after the judgement: "We welcome the Court's decisionand are working to extradite these men as quickly as possible."

A crowd of about 100 people protested outside the court,shouting "Free Abu Hamza" and holding banners reading "Stopextraditions" and "democracy = hypocrisy."

Abu Hamza, who could be sent to an ultra-secure "Supermax"prison with a sentence of more than 100 years, has argued thathe faces inhumane treatment in the United States.

The cleric was once a preacher at a North London mosque butwas later convicted in Britain of inciting murder and racialhatred.

The decision caps a long legal battle, which saw him launcha fresh appeal at the High Court last week after the EuropeanCourt of Human Rights rejected an earlier bid to avoid beingsent to the United States.

Abu Hamza was jailed for seven years in Britain and has beenfighting extradition since 2004.